The question of whether the Indians originally had characters to
designate tones has been discussed by Theodor Baker ("Ueber die Musik
der Nord Amerikanischen Wilden"). Although the Micmacs seemed to have
had an elaborate system of hieroglyphics[33] to designate sounds,
neither they nor their immediate neighbors, according to Vetromile,
had characters to designate tones. The songs were probably committed
to memory, and possibly on that account were often somewhat modified.
[Footnote 33: Pictographic writing, which is so well known among the
Micmacs, was also practised by the Passamaquoddies. The sign of the
Passamaquoddies is a canoe with two Indians in it and a porpoise. This
sign appears on rocks in certain places. The design for the present
flag of this tribe is of late conception, and shows the Christian
influence.]
The cylinder with Passamaquoddy words and the English equivalents has
the following records, which I have written down as nearly as I could
from the phonograph, and verified by repeating them from my spelling
to the Indians. With two exceptions, the Indians, were able to
understand the word meant, and to give me an English equivalent
identical with that originally recorded. I have made these experiments
of verification in order to test the capabilities of the phonograph.
In the cases where my spelling of the word has failed to convey the
sound of the word, the phonograph was perfectly understood by the
Indian interrogated. This fact seemed to me to bring out a serious
defect in the use of the phonetic method, which may not be confined to
me alone. I doubt very much if the Indians could understand many of
the words in some of the vocabularies of other Indians which have been
published, if the words were pronounced as they are spelled. The
records of the phonograph, although of course sometimes faulty, are as
a general thing accurate. When I wrote out the Passamaquoddy words
given below, I was wholly ignorant of their meaning. I wrote them as I
heard them on the cylinder, placing at their side the English
equivalent. I then pronounced the word to an Indian, and he gave the
same English word which I had myself written from the phonograph:--
k't[=a]lgus (gin), _ear_.
Wee tin, _nose_.
Hük, _body_.
K'telob[=a]gen, _arms_.
Sq[)a]t, _fire_.
K't[=a]gen, _foot_.
Wittuk, _forehead_.
(Puks que nor w[=u]k), Pugorken, _blood_.
Tups kuk, _neck_.
Wusqu[=a]n, _elbow_.
Kort, _leg_.
Q[=u]tque, _knee_.
Wukum, _heel_.
Wus quout, _liver (heart)_.
Wee bee, _tooth_.
p'k[)u]tt, _smoke_.
The object of the above list is simply to show how nearly one can
obtain the sound of the word phonetically by the phonograph. It is
thought to illustrate a possible use of this instrument.
Vocabularies of Passamaquoddy words have been published, but as a
general thing they are very incomplete. Miss Abby Alger, of Boston,
has printed a short list of common words and phrases, and in Kilby's
"History of Eastport" the Passamaquoddy names of certain localities,
rivers, etc., are given.
It is probably impossible to get the same story in all its details
from two different Indians. The variations in incidents are very
numerous. Consequently the observer who follows me will undoubtedly
find a great difference between the tale as I give it and as he hears
it. That is to be expected, nor is it probable that these stories
admit of absolute accuracy as long as human memory is fallacious.
These stories are _membra dejecta_ of older ones, and, although lineal
descendants of ancient tales, are probably more or less modified or
changed.
The following are a few of the mythological characters which play a
part in many of the stories of the Passamaquoddies. They are all given
on one of the cylinders of the phonograph:--
_Leux._ Mischief-maker. In certain stories, simple fellow.
_Kewok._ A formless being with icy heart, and when mentioned
regarded as a terrible one.
_Pedogiic._ Thunder.
_Pesok que tuk._ Lightning.
_Ooargamess._ Small beings who live about rocks and chatter
in unknown tongue. Have been seen in late times.
_Lumpagonosis._ Water beings.
_Kelphit._ A shapeless (medicine) being who is turned over
twice each year. Under him are found flowers.
_Pogumpt._ Black Cat, Fisher.
_k'Chebollock._ The Spirit of the Air. This being is said to
be without body, but to have a heart, wings, head, and
legs.
_Cadoux._ Spirit of Night. Said to have been seen lately. An
evil spirit which tears bark from the wigwam, and in many
ways frightens the Indians.
_Pook-jin-squess._ The Jug. Called also the toad woman. In
some Indian stories spoken of as governor.
_Noosagess._ A being associated with the wind.
_Squaw-oc-t'moos._ Swamp woman.
_Mousham._ Grandfather.
_Glooscap._ The beneficent being whose deeds are generally
superhuman, and who figures in many heroic tales of the
Passamaquoddies. The term as applied to a man is one of
contempt. To call a man glooscap, or a woman glooscapess, is
to call them liars.
_Chematiquess._ The big rabbit. There are many tales in
relation to Chematiquess. The new one which I have treats of
his efforts to escape Glooscap.
_Mickemnise._ The good fellow. I have also heard the
Ouargamiss called Mickeminn.
_Hespens._ The raccoon.
_Quarbet._ The giant beast.
_M'Sartoo._ The Morning Star.
_Consuce._ The ancients; said to be the fabricators of stone
things. These were the makers of the stone axes or tomahawks
which are found in the territory once inhabited by the
Passamaquoddies.
The accompanying plate illustrates the above mentioned story of Pogump
and Pookjinsquess, the original of which was drawn on birch bark by
Noel Josephs.
* * * * *
Since the above was written, I have spent some time at Zuñi Pueblo,
New Mexico, during which my studies of aboriginal language with the
phonograph were continued. While it is too early to state the exact
value of the records obtained, it may be interesting to know that I
have succeeded in obtaining some important specimens of the songs,
stories, and prayers of this tribe in the course of the summer. The
songs of the sacred dances of the Zuñians are particularly adapted to
successful recording with the phonograph. Of these there were obtained
several so-called _Ko-ko_ songs, such as are sung in the _Kor-kok-shi_
or rain dances. The song sung at the _Ham-po-ney_, an ancient dance
celebrated every eight or ten years by the women, was also obtained
from one of the participants. This dance, an elaborate corn-dance, is
said to be an ancient ceremony, and is, next in importance to the
dedication of the houses, one of the most striking events in the
Zuñian calendar. The rarity of its performance, and the possibility
that when next performed it may be greatly modified, give a unique
value to this record.
The most important of the ceremonies of the winter at Zuñi Pueblo is
undoubtedly the _Sha-la-ko_, at which certain of the houses to the
number of seven, which have been built during the past year, are
dedicated. The song and prayer of the _Sha-la-ko_ was sung for me into
the phonograph by one of the Zuñians, who had, as I was told, taken
part in the celebration a few years ago.
Among other interesting records may be mentioned the prayer of the
hunter to his fetish when on the hunt; and that of the Priest of the
Bow, formerly sung when he went to war with the Navajos. I also
obtained a song of the _She-vo-la_ dance, which bears evidence of
great antiquity.
I failed to get what I especially desired, viz., a record of the Zuñi
ritual or history of the tribe. Although repeatedly promised that it
should be given, and while at one time I thought that I had obtained
part of it, I must acknowledge an utter failure to accomplish what was
hoped in this line. The Zuñi epic, so called, is still unrecorded on
the phonograph, although at one time I was so confident that I had
obtained it, that I stated such to be the fact, and my statement has
appeared in print.
There is among the Zuñians an interesting ceremonial for rain, which
is observed on the night before the departure of the pilgrims who
visit the Sacred Lake for water, as a preparation for the first of the
solstitial rain dances. I have been able to obtain the chant and words
of this ceremonial, called the _Dw-me-chim-che_, from one who has
taken part in it. The observance is so primitive, and bears so many
evidences of antiquity, that a record of the chant has an importance,
in the study of the customs of this interesting people, second to none
with which I am familiar.
Experience has taught me that records of songs are the best which can
be obtained. These are, as a rule, better adapted to the phonograph.
Rituals and prayers are repeated in such a low tone that they are, as
a general thing, imperfectly reproduced on the wax cylinders of the
phonograph. A natural timidity of the Indians with respect to
repeating the sacred formulæ, and the absolute fear which some of them
have when the records are repeated to them by the phonograph,
prevented my obtaining many of these valuable records. Still I have
made a beginning, and have obtained enough to demonstrate the value, I
think, of the instrument, in the preservation and study of aboriginal
folk-lore.
I have prepared an elaborate account of the ceremonies witnessed by
me, in many of which the songs, formulæ, and prayers of the
participants were repeated on the phonograph, and the records
themselves will be published as soon as they are carefully worked out.
_J. Walter Fewkes._
[Illustration]